Meeting With Bill Clinton, Donation To Foundation Preceded Businessman’s Release From Iran Jail

Daily Caller

"Just before an Iranian-American businessman was freed from jail in Iran in Oct. 2010, his son met with Bill Clinton and also made the first of what would become more than $1 million in donations to the Clinton Foundation.

"Sources tell The Daily Caller that Nima Taghavi, who owns businesses in California, grew impatient in 2010 with negotiations to secure his father Reza’s release from an Iranian prison, and so he turned to the former president for help.

"To arrange the meeting with Clinton, Taghavi first contacted Doug group that Clinton advised.

"The elder Taghavi was detained in May 2008 during a trip to the Islamic regime and accused of financing terrorist activity after he gave $200 to an Iranian man who turned out to have ties to a terrorist group suspected in a mosque bombing in Shiraz. Taghavi, who was 69 years old when arrested, said he was only doing a favor for his friend in the U.S. and had no idea that the man who would receive the money was involved in terrorism."

George W. Bush Sitting Out Election With H.W., No Plans to Endorse Trump

NewsMax 

"George W. Bush and his father, George H. W. Bush, will be sitting out the presidential election and have no plans to endorse Donald Trump, a spokesman said on Wednesday. 

"The Washington Post reported that it is the first time in five presidential election cycles that Bush 41 is not endorsing the Republican nominee.

"A spokesman for his son, Bush 43, made a statement Wednesday evening after Ohio Gov. John Kasich followed U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz to the exit, noted The Guardian.

" 'President George W. Bush does not plan to participate in or comment on the presidential campaign," said the spokesman for the two-term president before President Barack Obama.
Jim McGrath, spokesman for George H. W. Bush, told The Guardian that the elder Bush has stepped away from politics.

" 'At age 91, President Bush is retired from politics," McGrath said. "He naturally did a few things to help Jeb, but those were the 'exceptions that proved the rule.'" . . .

Mayor de Blasio Urges New Yorkers to Avoid Chick-fil-A

Grubstreet

"Chick-fil-A's New York invasion has finally gotten real enough to trouble the mayor. The chain's third New York City location will land at Queens Center Mall this fall, and Chick-fil-A's growing footprint is starting to frighten city officials in general, and Bill de Blasio in particular. Not because the first stand-alone location was closed over health concerns, or because Chick-fil-A's sandwiches aren't nearly as good as some of NYC's excellent roster of homegrown chicken sandwiches, but because the mayor still takes issue with the owners' history of anti-LGBT policies. Per DNAinfo, he told reporters Tuesday, "What the ownership of Chick-fil-A has said is wrong," adding, "I'm certainly not going to patronize them and I wouldn't urge any other New Yorker to patronize them. But they do have a legal right."

"The Queens location is still months from opening, but Councilman Danny Dromm, who's gay, says it's nevertheless time to boycott. Dromm held a completely unrelated press event of his own yesterday criticizing Chick-fil-A for "forcing their employees and volunteers to adhere to a policy that prohibits same-sex love," and for funding anti-LGBT organizations. "It is outrageous that Chick-fil-A is quietly spreading its message of hate by funding these types of organizations," he said.

"A Chick-fil-A rep simply reiterated that the chain's new culture is "to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect — regardless of their beliefs, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender.' " 

Maybe there should be a tax on all uses of the word "hate".

Lib Rage Salon Pleads With Feminists Not To Abandon Bernie Sanders…

Weasel Zippers
"Supposedly Bernie is a man (hence he has a penis) so I’m guessing that disqualifies him among many feminazis."

Feds appear to be removing website posts claiming glaciers will be melted from Glacier National Park by 2030

Thomas Lifson  "Either there is a cover-up of embarrassingly overstated fear-mongering or (barely plausibly) it coincidentally happens that routine updating of United States Geological Survey web postings has temporarily removed those posts.  Writing at Wattsupwiththat, Dr. Roger Roots:

. .  . (I have often pointed out that the government’s photos from prior decades tended to not specify calendar dates. Because glaciers tend to build up in winter and then melt all summer long, the specificity of calendar dates is quite important.) . . .

"The USGS has some explaining to do.  I would say that a congressional committee hearing would be appropriate, calling in USGS officials to explain the disappearance.

"It is time to hold warmists, especially those in official positions, responsible for the fear-mongering, which has had severe fiscal consequences for the federal government and which has pushed individuals and companies to make decisions they would otherwise not make."

Two warmists pictured here:

CRUSADING OBAMA JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TARGETS NORTH CAROLINA LGBT LAW

This Balkanized society constantly seeks more groups with grievances.

Downtrend

"With it being an election year and the Democrats needing to cast as wide a net for aggrieved identity groups as possible it was only a matter of time until the Obama Justice Department poked it’s nose into the controversy surrounding North Carolina’s bathroom law. The meddling feds who previously inserted themselves into racially tinged issues in Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, Maryland are now looking to beat back the Tarheel State’s law enacted to prevent perverts from prowling women’s restrooms.* In a piece of news announced today Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s gangbusters sent a threatening letter to Governor Pat McGrory over the law.

As reported by CNN “Justice Department challenges North Carolina transgender law”:

The Justice Department has sent a letter to the North Carolina governor and state university system leaders notifying them that the state’s transgender law violates the U.S. Civil Rights Act, according to a Justice Department official.

House Bill 2, the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, puts in place a statewide policy that bans individuals from using public bathrooms that do not correspond to their biological sex. The law also reserves the right to pass nondiscrimination legislation to the state government, saying state laws pre-empt any local ordinances." . . .  Emphasis added, TD

Romanian hacker Guccifer: I breached Clinton server, 'it was easy'

Catherine Herridge, Pamela K. Browne

 "The infamous Romanian hacker known as “Guccifer,” speaking exclusively with Fox News, claimed he easily – and repeatedly – breached former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s personal email server in early 2013.   

" 'For me, it was easy ... easy for me, for everybody," Marcel Lehel Lazar, who goes by the moniker "Guccifer," told Fox News from a Virginia jail where he is being held.

"Guccifer’s potential role in the Clinton email investigation was first reported by Fox News last month. The hacker subsequently claimed he was able to access the server – and provided extensive details about how he did it and what he found – over the course of a half-hour jailhouse interview and a series of recorded phone calls with Fox News. Fox News could not independently confirm Lazar’s claims.

"The former secretary of state’s server held nearly 2,200 emails containing information now deemed classified, and another 22 at the “Top Secret” level.

"The 44-year-old Lazar said he first compromised Clinton confidant Sidney Blumenthal's AOL account, in March 2013, and used that as a stepping stone to the Clinton server. He said he accessed Clinton’s server “like twice,” though he described the contents as “not interest[ing]” to him at the time. " . . .

From three years ago: Breach exposed e-mails with Hillary Clinton

Difference between Democrats, Socialists, and Communists

The Peoples Cube   "In a recent MSNBC interview, Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz couldn't explain the difference between a Democrat and a Socialist. Neither could young college students in the video below. In fact, what difference at this point does it make? Perhaps it's time for us to weigh in (with a nod to our General Secretary for the image idea). 

This next from Campus Reform

. . . "At first the Florida Representative laughed and brushed the question off. “You’re Chairman of the Democratic Party,” host Chris Matthews pressed Wasserman Schultz. “Tell me the difference between you and a socialist.”

"Instead of answering, Wasserman Schultz responded to a completely different question." . . .

She then demonstrates the true meaning of "begging the question"

The Official Hillary for America Woman Card!

The People's Cube

. . . "Play it anytime you feel like a victim. Anytime you feel entitled. 

"Anytime you feel that an awareness ribbon, a wristband, a picture of yourself holding up a sign with a hashtag on it, or even just baring your boobs in public and shouting expletives isn’t enough to let the whole world know you have rights that only the government can provide! 

"The right to be a victim. The right to be entitled. The right to free stuff. The right to be treated exactly like men, except when we want to be treated like women. 

"Behold those big letters—W and C—right next to the universal symbol for a women’s restroom. Take it to any restroom you want, and never wait in line again!* Check out the black band that makes it look as if you can slide it anywhere, even the New York subway, and feel empowered! "

The post-Indiana Republican commentary UPDATED

Update: Exclusive: President Fox Apologizes, Invites Trump to Mexico 

 . . . "Earlier this year, Fox said that he would not pay for Trump’s “f*cking wall,” and called Trump ““Ignorant … crazy … egocentric … nasty … [a] false prophet.” Trump then called on Fox to apologize

"On Wednesday, he did so — in an exclusive interview with Breitbart News — and added that he wanted Trump to come to Mexico to see the border from the other side.

“ 'I apologize. Forgiveness is one of the greatest qualities that human beings have, is the quality of a compassionate leader. You have to be humble. You have to be compassionate. You have to love thy neighbor,” Fox explained to Breitbart News while sitting in the hotel of the J.W. Marriott in Santa Monica, California on Wednesday afternoon." . . .

Bobby Jindal will vote for Trump -- grudgingly   . . . And in a general election match-up with Hillary Clinton, Jindal said he'd get behind Trump." . . .
The Weaknesses that Doomed Ted Cruz  ". . . Cruz’s victory in Iowa was misleading, masking his identity as a candidate who would ultimately struggle to appeal beyond his core supporters. “His niche was always on the far right, being the most conservative guy,” says a top Republican strategist. 

News Analysis: Trump could beat Hillary Clinton with toned down rhetoric: experts

. . . "While Trump has a high negative rate -- the rate at which people dislike a candidate -- those of Clinton are nearly as high, as a number of Americans find her stiff and unapproachable, and see her as someone who does not understand the needs of ordinary Americans.

"But perhaps the most telling is that Clinton has failed to galvanize her party or excite her supporters in the same way as Trump has done.

"This has been shown by strong Democratic support for rival Senator Bernie Sanders, who put up a tough fight against Clinton over the past several months, despite Clinton just six months ago being considered a shoo-in for the nomination.

"Sanders is expected to stay in the nomination race longer after his win in Indiana Tuesday night.

"For a virtual unknown -- and a socialist at that, a philosophy seen by many as un-American -- to gain so much enthusiasm from voters demonstrates that Clinton is a weak candidate, many analysts believe." . . .

On the Democrat race after Indiana

Sanders embarrasses Clinton in Indiana   "It wasn't supposed to be as difficult for Hillary Clinton this time. The nominating process was going to be a coronation - a stately march to the convention and victory for the first woman president in history.

"But something happened on the way to the royal wedding; the radicals in the Democratic party found a candidate they could fully embrace. Every time Clinton seeks to end this endless contest for the nomination, up pops Bernie Sanders and his legions. So, following her huge victories in the east coast primaries last week, Hillary was expected to coast to victory in the decidedly un-radical state of Indiana.

"Such was not to be." . . .Rick Moran

Bernie Sanders wins Indiana's Democratic presidential primary

. . . "And while Clinton typically pulls urban and minority votes, Critchlow said Sanders decisive win in South Bend and Mishawaka precincts represents a change."

Trump vs. Clinton Is Terrible News for Fans of Free Speech and the First Amendment  . . . "And then of course there is Hillary Clinton's well-known view that federal authorities should be able to prevent her political opponents from distributing a documentary film that's critical of herin the days before a federal election. That particular issue was litigated before the U.S. Supreme Court in a little case called Citizens United v. FEC. Among other things, Citizens United featured Clinton and her pro-censorship allies squaring off against the American Civil Liberties Union, which supported Citizens United and its First Amendment right to distribute a documentary film about a political candidate in the United States of America.

"Now consider Donald Trump, who has effectively become the GOP nominee thanks to Ted Cruz dropping out of the race last night. Trump's hostility to constitutionally limited governmentis well known (Trump has even cheered Franklin Roosevelt's notorious internment of Japanese Americans). But Trump seems particularly antagonistic towards the First Amendment." . . .

#NeverHillary. Remember the Supreme Court, the ACLU-run Civil Rights Division and. . .

And I would add the EPA, that has a stranglehold on American business and homeowners. The Secretary of Defense, replacing the Democrats putting women and transsexuals in combat units. 

Mark Krikorian  "Donald Trump is unfit to be president. He’s a braggart and a liar. And a serial adulterer. He’s behaved shamefully during the primary campaign. He wouldn’t recognize the Constitution if he tripped over it in the street. He doesn’t know even the Cliff Notes version of any policy issue. The idea that the party of Lincoln and Reagan, Coolidge and Eisenhower, Justice Harlan and Senator Taft has nominated Trump is appalling.

"And I’m going to vote for him anyway.

"I condemn no one for deciding otherwise. There are plausible arguments for not voting for him in November – to repudiate him and his style of politics, to uphold conservative principle. Staying home, voting for a third party, or writing someone in are all honorable alternatives. (Actually voting for Hillary is not.) And if you think his defeat is literally inevitable, these are easier choices to make.

"But while his defeat is clearly likely, I do not think it inevitable. As president, Trump would not do half the things he’s promised his supporters, nor half the things his detractors fear. All the illegals aren’t going to be deported and the wall will be tied up in eminent domain litigation for years; likewise, he won’t nuke Belgium or seize the New York Times.

"But he would make appointments, and personnel is policy, more so than ever in the post-constitutional era Obama has ushered in. There are hundreds of posts that matter, but two stand out. The first is obvious: the Supreme Court. We have no real idea whom Trump might nominate, but he or she could not help but be better than Hillary’s choices.

"The second position is possibly even more powerful than the Supreme Court, albeit with shorter tenure: head of the Civil Rights Division in the Department of Justice. The division is Left’s most potent weapon in imposing its will on every city and town, every baker and florist, every church and synagogue in the nation. The current acting director is an ACLU lawyer – I don’t mean a lawyer who happens to belong to the group, but the ACLU’s actual Deputy Legal Director. Under President Clinton the Second, the ACLU would continue to wage lawfare against Americans on Americans’ own dime, irreversibly altering the fabric of our society. Whatever his manifold shortcomings, this would not be the case in a Trump administration.

"I would have preferred Cruz. He’s manifestly a better human being and would certainly have made a better president. But that’s over now. Either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump is going to be sworn in as president in January. It’s not crazy to argue that Hillary would be less destructive in the long run, but it’s an argument I do not find persuasive.

"So my reluctant conclusion is this: Vote for the bloviating megalomaniac – it’s important.